Shoe-form.



L. W. REINHARDT.

SHOE FURM.

APPLICATION TILED APR.11,1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

A TT'V.

TES PATENT OFFICE.

LGUI S WEREINHA'RDT, OF BROCKTONr Tv'IASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE E. i BELCHER. OF-STOUGHTON. IYIASSACH'USETTS.

SHOE-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent-ed NOV. 24, 1914.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,316.

To all u/Mni i tj'n ay concern Be'it known that I; LOUIS W. REINi-IARDT, a citizen'ofj'thle Unite d States, residing at Broclgton, county of Plymouth, Commonwealth of.'Miisacl'1usetts, have invented cers'efu'l Improvements in Shoetl1e'following is a specificaautomatically adjustable have so far as is solid 't o'e part, and

improve and known to me been of. the type wherein the adjustment was efiected bya, longitudinal sliding moven ent'bf the heel partrof the form relative'ftothe toe part. Such "forms have usually con tetl of either. a shell or a .a skeleton heel part usual'ly'in the form ayolte shaped piece of metal ada' 'zted when "the form was inserted into zrshoe to be forced against thecouute-r of the shoe under the action of a pair of coil springs. "lhe"'shortening of the form to admit of.,.its being inserted into the shoe and the form "subsequently expanded has been usually eflecte d by slotting both arms of the yoke nearthcir free ends to receiyc studs on the toe partoithe'form. This permitted the yoke. to be moved. up toward the toe part by a relative sliding moven ent against the resistance of theitwo interposed coil springs, thereby shorteningthe form to admit of its inserlioninto theishoe." YVhen the form was positioned within theshoe. the pressure on the yolrewas remove drtoperanit it to spring back against the counter of the shoe under the action of-th'e released coil springs. This type'of shoeforipghas fonnd favor in the trade because of "its ihiplicity and convenience of'ofpratipn' 'd litis to this general class thatmy nt invention' approplfifliitedfpv V r It is-the'objec (i D at on atica'lly adjustable shbefor'ms as??? g e ed: In y, e jeiiii q i; the? edlu tfieet ti he" h resent invention to facture;

form is efiected by moving the heel part of the form up tor-:ard the toe part, thereby shortening the form so that it may be readily inserted within a shoe, and automatically lengthened to fill the shoe and maintain-it in its proper shape; The mechanism for 'efi'ect mg this ad ustment 1s materially different both in principle and construction from the pin and slot constructions of the forms now in use. Briefly, such construction comprises a pair of levers pivoted to the toe part of the form and flexibly connected with the heel part so as to permit the heel part to move up toward the toe part when the levers are rocked on their pivots.

The construction and operation of my inventi'onwill be more fully disclosed in the- Inthe draw-.1 ings forming a partof that specification, I' have shown as an illustrative embodiment a specification which follows.

construction of shoe form which has been found efficient and satisfactory in 'use and well adapted to the requirements of manu- Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are correspondingly applied and in these drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a shoe form in accordance with my invention, the form being shown in normal lengthened position. Fig. is a similar view shbwlng the formin shortened position... F ig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, andFi'gfifis a detail of one of the leyers hereinafter referred to.

The shoe form of my present inventlon consists of a heel part 1 and a tb'efpar't Q,

pivotally connected with each othrby a pair of pivoted levers 7, soas to be capable of shortening to admit of the form being in serted in a shOetO' EpItQipaticaHy lengthen and till the shoe," d n 'intain it in proper shape. The heel 'afndj toe parts are preferably in the form of shells or skeletons, made of some matei ial which may bemolded to shape and which afterbeing molded to shape will setfand harden so as to'present suilieient rigidity to firmly hold the shoe in shape when inserted therein. found leatherboard or like material particularlywell suited for this purpose and in the embodiment selected have Shown the shoe form as made of this material. Obviously however I do not limit myself to this or any other material. In fact, the parts of the i -rm could be solid desired. The

I have edges of the sole portion of the fore part are connected up at the points indicated by the numerals 3 and 4 respectively, Fig. 1, in any well known manner. The rear ends of the toe part shell and the front ends of the heel part shell overlap each other. For convenience ofreference the pair of extensions or tongues of the heel part will be designated by the numeral 1 and those of the toe part by the numeral 2. Nearthe rear ends of the extensions 2 and on each side thereof I secure, preferably by riveting, a stud5 having its outer end clenchedin the material of the-extension and having at its inner end a relatively large head 6. e studs 5 project inwardly a sufiicient distance to accommodate the forwardly extendingtongues 1 of the heel part between their heads 6 and the lapping rearwardly extending tongues 2 of the toe part. The tongues 1 normally rest and find bearing on the studs and turn onthe studs in the adjusting movements of the heel part.

The numeral 7 indicates a pair of levers having holes near their lower ends to fit the pivot studs. The lower ends of the levers 7 lie between the heads 6 of the pivots 5 and the tongues'1 The levers pivotally eormect the parts of the form and turn on the studs in the shortening and lengthenlng movements of the heel part. I At their upper ends they are fastened to the tongues 1 in any suitable manner as by the rivets 8.

The levers are preferably so disposed relative to the tongues 1 as to normally lie diagonally thereof. This positions their link portions 9 directly in the line of application of the shortening pressure, (see Fig. 1.1) When the form is shortened the lovers swing forwardly on their pivots 5 and a e.- sume a vertical position substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of the heel part. (See Fig. 2).

The link portion 9 of each lever extends downwardly and rearwardly from the lever between its ends. Each link 9 has a tongue 10 struck out from its lower end so as to lie on the inner side of the link. The tongues 10 'serve' to fasten thefront ends of apair of springs 11 to the links and are so disposed as to receive the shortening pressure imparted to the springs direct and transmit it to the levers to rock the same. The springs 11 may be spiral 5 rings if desired and may have any desire number of convolutions. They are fastened at-their rear ends to the heel part above the line of the pivot studs 5 in any desired manner as by brads 12 driven through the sides of the heel part 'and clenched over the rear ends of the springs. The springs 11' are compressed when the form is shortened and whenthe pressure is removed serve to force the heel part back againstthe counter of the shoe.

In use, the form is shortened by' forcing the heel part up toward the toe part. The shortening pressure is received by the springs 11 and transmitted to the tongues 10 of the links. The links being directly in the line of application of the pressure receive and transmit the pressure directly to the levers with practically no lost motion. This rocks the levers forwardlv on theirgpivots 5. allowing the heel part to ride up toward the toe part.- The forward motion ofthe heel part is limited and stopped bv the shoulders 13 of the tongues 1 moving up against. the studs 5. The form is now shortened and may be readily inserted within the shoe by swinging the heel part unwardl on its pivots to facilitate entrance of the orm into the shoe. T he form is then inserted into the shoe and lengthened to original position therein by releasing the heel part which .will be forced back against the counter of the shoe by the action of the springs 11. This lengthening of the form serves to expand the shoe and maintain it in proper position. To remove the form it is only necessarv to force the heel part forward toward the toe part,

swing the heel upinardly and pull the toe part out of the shoe.

()bviously the. range of expansion of the form may be increased or diminished by increasing or diminishing the length of the levers 7 and providing springs of corresponding size'and power.

Various other modifications in the form and construction of my device may obviously be resorted to without de arting from the spirit of my invention i within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V l. A shoe form comprising a pair of relatively movable shell-like form parts, a pair of oppositely disposed devices mounted for oscillation through arcs longitudinally of the form by a relative movement of the form parts and. each having its opposite ends pivotally connected each with a form ,art, and means resiliently connectin said evices to one of said form partsan normally tending to hold the form in one of its two effective positions. I

2. A shoe form comprising a pair of relatively movable shell-like form parts, a pair of oppositely disposed levers 'mounted for oscillation through arcs longitudinally of the form by a relative movement of the form parts and each havingjts opposite ends pi one set of pivots for said devices and normally tending to hold the iorm in length ened position.

4. A shoe form comprising a fixed and a movable part, having lapping extensions, oscillatory members pivotally connecting said extensions whereby the form may be shortened and lengthened by a relative movement of the form parts to oscillate said members on their pivots, and means normally tending to hold the form in one of its two eflective positions.

5. A shoe form comprising a fore part and a heel part, rocking members pivotally connecting said form parts and rocked on their pivots by a relative movement of the parts whereby the form may be shortened and lengthened, extensions on said rocking members, engaging devices on said extensions, and flexible connections engaged at one end with said devices and at their other ends with one of said form parts and normally tending to hold the form parts in lengthened position.

6. A shoe form comprising a fore part and a heel part, studs set up in said fore part, leavers pivotally mounted on said studsand normally disposed in angular relation to said form parts and fixedly connected with one of said form parts whereby the form may be shortened and lengthened, extensions on said levers between the ends of the lovers, tongues on said extensions effectively disposed to receive the shortening pressure, and. flexible connections engaged at one end with said tongues and at their other ends with one of said form parts and normally tending to hold the form parts in lengthened position.

7. A shoe form comprising a fore part and a heel part, having lapping extensions, studs set up in the lapping extensions of the fore part, levers pivotally mounted on said studs and fixedly connected with the lapping ex tensions of the heel part, whereby the form may be shortened and lengthened, extens mis on said levers, tongues on said extensions, and springs engaged at one end with said tongues and at thci:

he) ntis with one of said form parts above. v.he illle of the studs and normally tending to hold the form parts in lengthened position.

S. A shoe form comprising a fixed and a moiable part, means pivotally connecting said parts whereby the form may be she ened and lengthened, and pivots or said. connecting means and constituting stops against which said movable part contacts to limit the movement of said movable part in one direction.

9. A shoe form comprising a iixed and a movable part having each. lapping exztensions, and the extensions of said movable part being shouldered, means pivotally connecting said form parts, whereby the form may be shortened and lengthened and pivots for said connecting means and constituting stops against which the shoulders of the extensions of said movable part contact to limit the movement of said form part in one direction.

10. A shoe form comprising a pair of relatively'movable shell-like parts, a link con.- nected to each of said parts, for pivotal movement only and disposed substantially vertically of the form permitting said parts movement in arcs longitudinally of said form in the relative movement of the parts, and resilient means for holding the parts yieldingly expanded.

11. A slice form comprising a pair of relatively movable parts, a link connected to each of said parts for pivotal movement only and disposed substantially vertically of the form permitting said parts movement in arcs longitudinally of said form in the relative movement of the parts. and a spring memher efiective between said parts to hold said link with its pivots at opposite ends of said arcs.

In testimony whereof i afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS W. REINHARDT.

Witnessea 7 A. lJPHAM, lino. E. BELCHER. 

